From a sermon given on May 21st at the Headquarters Church in Seoul, Korea

After we had successfully concluded True Parents' birthday celebration in February, True Father immediately instructed us to hold national rallies for South-North unification at twenty-one venues in Korea. Never in our wildest dreams had we imagined that another major series of events would follow on the heels of what had been such a tremendous occasion. We were all surprised, and even rather worried. Only after completing all the rallies did we see the reason Father had decided to do them and could appreciate Father's intuitive sense of heavenly fortune.

In True Parents' course to establish the Kingdom of God on earth, the reunification of North and South Korea is one of their most essential responsibilities. True Father promised God he would reunite the nation when he came south from Pyongyang. He has devoted his entire life to realizing this through numerous spiritual conditions and very hard work. We had simply understood these rallies to be another direction in order to support the providence of reunification on a new level based on the increased heavenly fortune since True Father's 80th birthday. But all of a sudden we heard the fantastic news of the summit between the North and South. If we could not have held the rallies at that time, the movement for unification would have lost momentum. We have become more aware that True Parents are central to the history of the efforts to tear down the partition between the two Koreas.

What did you think of the visit of the Pyongyang Children and Students Performing Arts Troupe? True Father already knew such fortune was coming and had been preparing in advance, but we weren't aware of that at first. In the light of the summit between the leaders of North and South Korea, holding the rallies and then hosting the visit of the performing arts troupe came to be more meaningful providentially.

Some of you may have heard this directly from True Father when he spoke at the rallies in February: he said, "There will be a big change in June and the period until August is very important." Nobody knew that such a major event would occur in June, although True Father predicted it in February. There are two major axes of social power in the 21st century. One is the media and the other is non-governmental (social) organizations. The media and civil organizations will be more influential in the 21st century. True Parents have been preparing foundations in these two areas for a long time. In Korea, the movement consists of a large number of social organizations. We also have a global media network dedicated to the development of the global providence.

On May 15th, I received a phone call from Mr. Sang Kwon Pak, president of Pyunghwa Motors, while I was meeting with a senior South Korean government official. Mr. Pak was discussing arrangements for the visit of the North Korean dance group with a North Korean official. He asked me if it was possible to arrange for their performance in South Korea within a week. I promised him that we could do it if we had an official arrangement. We were confident to organize such an event since we had experienced organizing events in the main Olympic stadium within a week. I immediately passed this news onto the government official I was with. He was shocked and asked me, "Are they really coming? Can you really prepare in time?" When I showed that I was confident, he could not hide his surprise.

Actually, the only people who did not seem surprised were our members! I think there are two reasons. First, we have been part of so many big events. That is why we are not easily inspired to a high degree. And secondly, our minds are too prone to habitual thinking. But I think we should deeply feel how significant these events are! It was not easy to invite the North Korean children to South Korea. We are now organizing their performances, even having staff meetings at midnight. All the South Koreans are fascinated by this. It is a vital part of God's providence.

I believe everything has resulted from True Parents' grace and heavenly fortune. I hope you can feel great respect for True Parents, and have an inspired and victorious feeling deep within your hearts.

[Originally published in Today's World, 2000 May]

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